FAQ's about EOS

Helping ENTREPRENEURS is our passion

Don't hesitate to share your business issues or thoughts around EOS. We're happy to help you if your question isn't listed below in the list of Frequently asked questions about the Entrepreneurial Operating System.

FAQ's about EOS | The system

What is EOS®?

EOS® stands for the Entrepreneurial Operating System®, developed by Gino Wickman. EOS® is a set of timeless business principles and real-world tools that help entrepreneurs get what they want from their businesses.

By mastering this simple away of operating, leadership teams of growth-oriented companies systematically and progressively improve. The EOS® system™ simple tools have been used over 10,000 times for more than fifteen years. If implemented correctly and consistently, companies will achieve more growth and profit, while delivering a better life balance to company owners and leaders.

Mark van den Broek, general manager by Pro Warehouse, about EOS: "The simplicity of EOS® fits perfectly with our dynamic and fast business. With EOS® we can continue to grow Pro Warehouse in a healthy way."

Every business has an “operating system”. In many small companies, the business lives or dies based on the owners individual ability to run everything. The owner manages all issues that come up. If you run a small company with a few employees that’s ok. Once a company grows a real operating system is needed. Doing it all yourself becomes too difficult.

An effective operating system like EOS® will help you define your vision, including your core values and focus, your long term plans and goals, and your strategy. The system will most importantly determine the right people, who are in the right seats. The system will simplify your processes, determine your key metrics, create an environment where issues are addressed and solved weekly, and everyone in the organization has a strong sense of accountability towards the shared vision.

What are EOS Tools?

EOS®, the Entrepreneurial Operating System, is a complete set of simple concepts and practical tools that has helped thousands of entrepreneurs get what they want from their businesses. By mastering this simple way of operating, leadership teams of growth-oriented companies systematically and permanently improve.

That’s easy just. Contact us to schedule a quick 15-30 minute conversation. We’ll talk about your business situation and how EOS® can help your business. If you decide that it makes sense to invite us into a deeper 90 Minute Meeting with your leadership team, we can schedule that right away. EOS® is not always a fit for everyone, but it doesn’t hurt our feelings. We’re just here to help you.

Good question! The honest answer: “it depends”. To identify whether EOS® is right for your business takes a few steps:

Read the first few chapters of Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business. We can send you a free copy of Traction. There's a limited number of free books available.

Take the Organizational Checkup™ It's an easy three minute self-test to gauge your organization’s strengths and weaknesses.

Call to chat with us about it. It's free and you might decide to invite one of us in to talk with you or your leadership team. That’s also free. We’ll even give you a set of the tools. There’s no obligation and it’s not a sales pitch. Where here to help you to get to know the system. You’ll get a feeling if you’re ready or not.

Although EOS® can help almost every organization, not every organization is ready. But if you’re ready we can get the traction you’re looking for and propel your company to excellence.

Is EOS® a new concept?

No. The EOS Process™ has been implemented in tens of thousands of small companies over the past fifteen years or so. The fair criticism of EOS® is that it repackages concepts that have been around for decades. In fact, EOS founder Gino Wickman readily admits the influences of other systems. Additionally, he tells of borrowing many concepts from Jim Collins (see Books about EOS for more info).

But there's a difference. EOS presents these proven concepts in a way that is simpler for smaller companies to understand and apply. So while other systems are more complex, EOS’ simplicity is an important reason in the explosion of companies adopting EOS®.

FAQ's about EOS | Implementing

What size of companies are best suited for implementing EOS?

In general companies with $2M -$50M of revenue, headquartered in one location, with a staff of 10-250 and a leadership team of 3-7, are best suited for EOS. And last but not least (and also not size related); An open-mindset and the drive to help the organization to reach its full potential are critical.

What issues are companies experiencing that they should consider implementing EOS?

We help leadership teams to solve common problems that they are experiencing, like:

Nothing is working; what ever they try, nothing gives them traction

No growth; they've hit a ceiling and wonder how to break through to grow

A vision that either isn’t shared, or worse, not being followed by the team. There's lack of trust, low morale and ‘silos’ within the business.

Frustration; the same issues keep coming up. Fiighting fires over and over again, day after day.

Generally “feeling stuck” in the daily grind. Rarely get a chance to work on the businessinstead of in the business.

Finally, we find that the main leaders are discouraged that the business is making them a mess or unhappy even if it is IS doing well outwardly. They're are getting tired of it.

You'll experience significant improvements, some almost immediately within the first few months, and then marked changes over time a few years. EOS is a proven system and it is ‘simple’, but not easy. But done right, you will see impact via:

A shared vision. It's clear to the team what you want to be as a company and how to get there.

The right people doing the right things in the right ways. With every member of your team accountable for a handful of goals and numbers, you’ll get consistently better results This will show in higher morale, higher turnover, improved productivity, and improved efficiencies.

You'll have a grip on your business and enjoy the entrepreneurship again.

Do I need a leadership team to implement EOS?

Yes, absolutely without a doubt. The system is made for leadership teams not for individual leaders. So if you are a solopreneur or have a very flat organization (one leader with many ‘assistants’), then EOS is not right for you. The most impact from EOS will come when you have a leadership team of 3-7 actual leaders.

Can I form a leadership team with my current assistants?

If you and they are ready for actual leadership roles then yes. EOS is a great system for rolling that out. There is power in having people on your team who can grow into the right leadership seat, understand the vision, have the tools to achieving that vision and are truly empowered to lead, manage, and help other staff to be accountable.

The good news is that EOS puts team structure as the primary tool to start implementing EOS right away in what we call the Focus Day. Read more about the EOS Process here.

Why do I need Go 4 Traction to implement EOS®?

Although you can implement EOS® yourself, there are several reasons the hire an EOS® Implementer.

EOS® is simple, but fundamentally changing the way a business operates can be hard. I combine a passion for helping entrepreneurs and their leadership teams with my skills and experience to help you strengthen the Six Key Components of your business by:

Coaching EOS® purity, accountability and helping your leadership team become its best

An outside-in perspective is required to counteract the bias to inward focus during the change. As an external consultant I have an independent perspective to challenge your way of thinking and acting.

My external energy, objectivity, expertise and ability to help you get there faster far outweigh the perceived savings of doing it yourself.

How long does it take to implement EOS®?

On average we’ll have 12 days with EOS® sessions in two years for implementing EOS®. During this period I’ll teach you the EOS® system, give you the tools you need to run the system, facilitate the sessions and help you to be accountable to your goals, your team and your priorities … and then get out of your way. Our main goal is to work ourselves out of a job.

Due to my management experience I’m sometimes also consulted for general management topics, but that’s additional to the EOS® implementation.

Can we keep you as an facilitator past two years?

Sure no problem. Many of our clients want us to facilitate their quarterly and annual sessions way past the two year mark.

Does the implementer need to be based locally in my company?

Not at all. We're not in your business on a regular basis, only 5-6 days a year. We can travel to you or wherever you want to meet. The benefit of hiring a local implementer is the lack of travel fees. So you may factor that into the equation. Our preference is to serve clients in Europe, but we're willing to travel. One of our clients is based in the USA for example.

What if you're not a fit for us. Can I fire you?

Yes, you can! One of our core values is "We help first". So I provide value before receiving anything. If you have the feeling that we're not adding value, you can stop using us. There’s no contract to break. And if you do not feel you received value for our day together, then you do not pay me. It’s as simple as that.

Do you guarantee your work?

All official EOS® Implementers offer the same guarantee. One of our Core Values is help first, which means I provide value before receiving anything. If you do not feel you received value for our day together, then you do not pay me. It’s as simple as that.

FAQ's about EOS | Start and roll out of EOS

What's the process to quickly roll out EOS in our company?

We have a proven process for rolling out EOS. See the EOS Process here.

We recommend to hold meetings offsite. So you'll be disengaged from the day-to-day business and the distractions of interruptions by your remaining staff.

Can we meet virtually?

Yes, but unless it's required due to a pandemic we don't recommended it. Short calls or weekly updates virtually are fine but is not conducive to a great full day meeting. EOS sessions are digital-free, you get to disengage from the day-to-day. You're open and honest with each other. Working together solving big challenges and moving towards your future goals. There are too many distractions while sitting in front of your computer. Don’t do it.

About us

We'd love to hear from you!

Whether you want to know more about EOS®, talk about your business issues, implementing EOS®, just want to know how to get the right people in the right seats or something else. We’re here to help you!